Landlords are not OK with Alliance's plans for rental properties

ALLIANCE − The city's plan to regulate rental properties isn't going over well with landlords.

Members of City Council's Planning, Zoning and Housing Committee met Wednesday at City Hall to continue work on possible regulations. At least 30 landlords crowded a small conference room and some expressed concerns.

Councilman Phillip Mastroianni, the committee's chairman, and Mayor Andy Grove told the group that the regulations are still in rough draft form and none of the proposed rules have been finalized − including an annual registry fee and inspections.

The proposed fee is $100 per unit, and would amount to a 1-year license to operate rental properties.

Most residential homes in Alliance − nearly 60% − are rental properties. Mastroianni said the city wants to have "some minimum standards" to increase the quality of life in Alliance and have safe places for people to live.

"I don't see how that is controversial," he said.

The landlords, hoping to quash the city's plans, told officials that any fees and inspections could create a "housing crisis" in Alliance, and rental properties could become less affordable for tenants due to rent increases.

Eric M. Wohlwend, president of Clear Sky Properties, said he might take his business elsewhere, getting nods from other landlords.

There were other landlords who threatened political retribution, suggesting they might organize to elect new council members. Still others described the city's proposals as an overreach, and said they already have to register with Stark County.

Councilman Jim Edwards, a committee member, said all other businesses in the city limits pay a registration fee. Only those in the rental business don't.

They all opposed inspections.

More: Empower tenants to file complaints against landlords in Alliance

Shirene Starn-Tayprik, director of the Alliance for Children & Families, added most of the city's rental properties are low-income Section 8, including her agency's, and they are routinely inspected by federal and state officials.

"If they're doing Section 8, they've been walked-through," she told city officials.

Additionally, Ben Balog, another landlord, said he believes it would be illegal for them to pay another license fee, per state law, but Starn-Tayprik noted city officials could change it to an occupancy fee to get around the law.

Meanwhile, Mastroianni said the committee was considering regulations similar to ones in North Canton. He described North Canton's rental rules to be "well-thought-out" and aligned more closely to their intentions.

Grove said some kind of regulations will be adopted; how they look remains to be seen.

Other landlords said they want city officials to include them in the process.

Reach Benjamin Duer at 330-580-8567 or ben.duer@cantonrep.com. On X (formerly Twitter): @bduerREP.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Alliance's rental regulations proposal frustrates landlords